Roller bearing



DGC. 17, 1935. H. BUEL v ROLLER BEARING Filed June 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 vnrtl W ,4 7'TURNEY @ec. 2?, M35. H. BUEL 2,024,206

ROLLER BEARING I I Filed'June 15, l 933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VEN TOR Patented Dec. 17,

sj PA-TENT OFFICE is e I !IillhseseBuel.0nnge.N.J.

- m June 15, 1833, 88111 N0. 675,?

'l his invention relates partichlarly to tapered roller'bearlnge. It has for itsprincipal objects to provide a fully free-rolling bearing; to provide abearingthat may be safely preloaded to 5 any desirablepreloading-pressurc; to provide a filledrace bearing, eliminating the cage ordinarll? employed: to provide for assembly on the outer race member;'and to provide a third race located on the cup or outermemher to motion as 10 aishoulder-race for \the shoulders ofthe rollers,

which is substantially, for practical purposes,

free irom iriction. '1 t -Ninth these and other objects in view thisinvention consistsoi a three-raoetapered roller- 15 his; there being a race on' the inner memberpr cone, and araceontheouter member or cup,

conical and complemenon an --inwardir disposed the outer;

of the bearing a illustrated in Fig. 2, the roller belns shown in-elevation -I'igure 4 is an axial section ofa compressor unit showing the use of roller bearings embodying thisinvention in a rotor compressor. s Figure 5 is an axial elevation of a universalcouple joint, embodying this invention,',one trunnogg arm being shown in section on a plane L-'-L Figure dis an elevation of the universal-couple l9; ioint 0! I'll. 5 showing the housing.

In the drawings i is theouter race member or cup; I are tapered rollers, and I is inner race member or cone. It will be observed that the inner memberiis free from flanges, ribs or; otherideparture from a straight cone. slightly rounded shoulder at the largerfend of the tapered rollers. This shoulder bears get i on" a shoulder-race surface on theilange l of the outer member, the face of which makes'an angle 9 with the head of the roller, o as to secure sunis mum's -isanenlsr'godsectlonotsportion s s etheheadsoi stantially, for practical purposes, a point contact oi the roller on the shoulder race. Conical surface H on the outer member has identical pitchfwith the surfaces of the rollers when and '2 where their-peripheral surfaces contact with the outer race surfaoeq Conical surface 'd-d on the inner-member has identical pitch with the suri'aeu of the rollers when and where their peripheral surfacescontaot with the inner surface.

In such a structure thethrust load is elivered to the rollers by the inner member a line perpendicular to d-d and is opposed by the outer race member in a line perpendicular to a--a. Between these perpendiculars' there is a slight 86 angle determined by the taper of-the rollers.

from this angle between the twoperpendiculars' there results a creep load the directionot which Hisparalleltothelinew-aandtowardthe larger end of the rollers and nearly oppositeto the direction of the primary thrust load exerted on the inner member. 'ihis bachcreep loadis bornebytheshoulderraoeindicat'edbytheline s-son flange. of the outer member i.- 'iheoretically, the surface of the shoulder race H wouldbedisposedatananglesubstanflallyper-g pendicular to the-direction of thebaek creep load, with a small allowsnce-ior'advantagsws' shouldercontact. 9' on either side of the perpe'ndicular beiniflle c s m a m tainablein shop practicmbut it should beborne mind that-with any departure from a right therollsrs tend-to move up Qisa or down on the shoulder race. Under 90 the efing conditions, including high heavy feet is objectionable.

Above 90, depending on the thruet load, the frange maybe effectively varied up at 105 and s with very light loads perhaps alfew degrees higher. Under 94 the angle is impracticable in ordinary shop practice because of inordinate cost and not so good for shoulder contacts. Angles I of 95 or 96, though fair for shoulder contact, 10 would entail addedproductioncost'which would prove prohibitive in highly competitive fields. But I have discovered that angles from 97" to 102 will assure the best obtainable results and most practical shoulder contact for most bearingwould tend to cause a drag on the contacting .endsf of the 11ers, resulting in appreciable disalignment the rollers. This effect would be, great 30 enough to necessitate a sturdy cage to oifset, so much as such means would make possible, the

r tendency of the drag to cause disalignment.

. Naturally these and other objectionable effects would occur and be greatly augmented were such a race or flange located on the inner race or cone,

though at moderate speeds and loads with a good cage, ali nment might be reasonably well main.-

tained.

i It will be understood by those familiar with the 4 art, that the use of a cage precludes the idea of a filled race. A structure to provide a filled race must, therefore, be withouts. cage.

' But in order to eliminate the cage, so astoinahe.

a filled race possible and at the same time me-.-

chanically safe and efilcient for all speeds and loads, it is essential to provide a structure, which will cause no appreciable friction or drag on the ends of the rollers.

' This structure is provided and these essential 50 requirements attained in this invention by locating ashoulder race at the larger end of the outer I race memberor cup and giving to that shoulder race the required pitch angle as indicated in this I specification, and by grinding the shoulders of 55 the rollers to a radius as required by-the sine, use

and other mechanical and operating factors of the bearing. ,1 It will be observed that, due to limitations aris- I ing in part from shop practice, even a pitch of 60 94 or even of 95 or 96, given to a shoulder race I would not safely assure a p per rolling surface for the radius ground shoulders of the rollers. 'Ai'so, except under light loads and low speeds,

. angles in excess of 105 would produce undersir- 65 able results, due to improper distribution of forces. 1 Obviously, therefore, in an efficient filled race tapered roller bearing, it is mechanically essen:

- tied .to provide a structure; in which a shoulder race, restricted to a pitch within the range specified in this invention, shall be locatedon the outer race member, in order to prevent appreciable friction and drag on the heads of the rollers, improper distribution of forces and to preserve fifproper' alignment of the rollers under all operatalignment.

Obviously if a shoulder race were given an allel to. the

radial and' thrust loads. The structure as described in this specification will assure free rollingforallpartsofsuchabearingandmaintain' The radiusof the curvature of the shoulder 4. on the rollers-2 should preferablybe such that the tangent at the point of rolling contact in line 0- 0 will coincide with. the angle which the shoulder race S-Bmakeswith the surface a-c. The most elective relationship is sought between the radius of the shoulder of the rollers,- the points of contact with the shoulder raceand the radial planes of the bearing through the points of tangency of the rollers on the outer race surface.

There are retaining pins I at each end of the rollers which function with the retaining rings 8 fitted into grooves in'the outer member at either end of the rollers. The retaining rings which are provided for assembly are so shaped that they cannot touch the roilers at any point when the bearing is installed and in operation, but when the inner race member is removed they function with the pins 1 to retain the rollers in assembly on the outer race member. A groove recess I is pr vided in accordance with shop practice.

The structure of the free-rolling bearing herein described eliminates all friction on the heads of'the rollers and assures perfect frictionless free- 3. rolling under all conditions of thrust over-loads and any 'pr eloading required. This is. for the reason that the only contact of the toilets in this bearing with the shoulder onfiange l at the larger end of the outer member I is in the line b-b par- 3 aces-d,andin the linec-c which is normal to the tangent of the shoulder 4 where these lines 15-13 and 0-0 intersect andcontact with the shoulder race 8-8 at the'point I. l 'orali practical purposesthisisonlyapolnt contact of a rolling body on a race surface, as

would be disclosed by the cycloidal curv'eoi' the points on the shoulder 4 of a roller 2 rolling between the innefi and outer race members I and l.

with the free-rolling bearing herein described the load, whether a thrust over-load or a preloading pressure is, as stated above, delivered directly to the sides of the rollers. 'In ordinary practice very; little of suchloads (possibly not more than five per cent) would fall on .the shoulders of the rollers 4 and the shoulder-race as a back creep load and this in a free-rolling action and hence free from friction? and this would be distributed over the shoulders of all the rollersin the bearing.- For instance, if there are twenty 5.6

'rollersinaiilledracathemonofmhthrust over-loader prelosding pressure that would fall on themoulder of any one roller, would not exceed one-fourth of one per cent,-which is negligible. Inthepresentinsistent dernamiofmachinetoolmanufaeturersforbearlngsthat can be preloaded. this feature of a shoulder race on the outer member which assures free rolling, is extremely important for high speed spindlesemotors and wherever maximum fiexibilitywith enthe freedom. from looseness, play or chatter is essential or required. I

Referring to Fig. 3 for illustration, a tapered roller bearing can take care of a thrust load only if it presses from left to right on the cone 3 or from right to left on the cup I. If. the thrust be reversed it will tend to open up the bearing. 'It follows that the sh ulder race-S-B in Figure 3 does-not take the thrust load, which all comes on the sides of the rollers and the supporting races. 'Ihe shoulder race operates only to take care of the back-creep load, a load different in type and elements of time, and which is opposite in direction and much smaller than the thrust 5 load. The roller moves against the race 8-8 and never the race against the roller. The race S-S is,therefore not a thrust flange but is a true race. Were a shoulder race or flange located on the cone it would necessarily be located on the -larger end in order to function. in this position the full burden of theflrst impact of any thrust overload would come on the flange and the heads of the rollers though it might ultimately be distributed to the sides of the rollers and supporting races.

The importance of the diflerence in loaddistrlbution set forth may be illustrated by a numerical example. i a

The mathematical expression for the backcreep load which comes on the shoulder race S-S located as herein shown and described is cos an where is the thrust load and 0.1a the angle between the perpendiculars to the lines d-d and a-a, of Figure 3. Assuming a value for. 0 of; 2 39"22", which is substantially a standard taper,

' cos a sin a 21.6055.

Assuming a thrust load of 1000 unds, the total back-creep loadgwouldbe 48.284 lbs. With say twenty rollers the load on any one roller would be 2.312 lbs., which is negligible in practice.

If the shoulder race or flange were on the cone the entire thrust load 01'4000 pounds would come directly on the race or flange, and distributed.

over the heads of twenty rollers would be 50 pounds per roller. This is a difference of over 20 to 1 or 2ooo%.

Moreover, with high speed spindles, sometimes running to tens of thousandso! R. P. M. a ange or race on the cone would impart a terrl c inn. pact to the heads of the rollers, with a consequent great tendency to knock them out of alignment.

This tendency is entirely absent from the bearing of this invention with a true, shoulder race located at the larger end of the cup.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 exemplify a use of my freerolling bearing where great flexibility, with preloading, fine adjustment and high speeds are required, and friction and heating must be eliminated. G

Fig. 4 shows a double application of this hearing to the shaft and compressor element respectively of a compressor. Bearings A and B function as spindleor shaft hearings to be rated at speeds dependent on the size and use of the com-. pressor, and are required to absorb all thrust and radial loads and prevent any axial movement of the shaft l0 along the axis of rotation I The shaft carries a-comp'ressor unit G with an axis e-e and cylindrical surface It upon which are rolling double tapered roller bearing C with rollers 2 and outer race members f. These outer race members are givena snug flt to the surface I! of the rotor compressor element It by the adjusting screw ll which is screwed against the adjacentouter-race member I at point it. Thecompanion race member I isheld by the shoulder of the flange ll of the rotor l3.- Screw ll thereby functions as an adjustable preloading means. Spring 11- maintains the flanges l0 and IS in contact with the ends i 9 and 20 of the cylinder 2 I', Spring might occur.

' freely on the third race and :2 acts as a yielding member to hold bearings A and B in their preloaded adjustment, and with 'spring 23 provides for'any shaft expansion that when the shaft ber (3) rolls on rollers 2 which i'oll onouter race member I, held tight'to rotor ll. causing the outer surface of the rotor to roll on the inner surface of the cylinder 21 of greater diameterthan the rotor,-thus causing the entrapped gas to be compressed at each revolution of the shaft. Figs. 5 and 6 show an application of this free rolling bearing to a universal couple-joint to rotate athigh speed. This use calls for a preloading bearing ona couple-element which is to rotate it at high speeds, which will have no loose play and.

y will possess great flexibility. A taper is requisite to maintain preloadlng conditions. Friction would reduce the-flexibility of this element and would cause it to stick and freeze. A frictional element of any-kind would be very stiff under preloading and would throw an excessively high' torque on the shaft and connections. The rollers are not called upon to roll much but with this free-rolling bearing the slightest rolling or movement rnakes sticking impossible and flexibility perfect. The ease of preloading and I freedom from all friction on the shoulder-race make it possible to prevent all looseness in the units without detracting from perfect flexibility and freedom from stiffness. In this unit the tapered trunnion 24 performs the func ion of theinner I race member and the screw head 25 screwed into the boxing 26- provides readily and simply for preloading adjustment. I

I have shown the shoulder race as formed upon a flange which is integral with the cup but obviously it could be formed as a separate ring at-.

tached to the cup. Other changes may be'made without departing from this invention.

Without limiting myself to details shown and described, I claim: 5 I v 1. A triple-race, filledrace, free-rolling tapered roller bearing, having a conical race on the ou er member and. a conical race on the inner member and a third race located on a shoulder extending inwardlyfrom the outer memberof the bearing, the third race being at anobtuse angle, ranging from 91; to 105, to'the conical race surface of the outer member and also at an angle to the surfaces of the larger ends of the rollers. and so positioned and disposed that the rounded shoulder edges of the larger ends of the rollers may bearing is installed and in operation; progision whereby the space between the inner and 'outer' members may be substantially filled with tapered rollers while permitting the rollers to roll freely, and means to re ain the rollers on the outer- 69 member when the-inner member. is not seated within the circle of rollers.

' 2. A triple-race, filled-race, free-rolling tapered roller bearing, having a conical race on the outer membc; and a conical race on the inner member, the inner member being conical throughout, and a third race located on a shoulder extending-inwardly from the outer member of the bearing, the third race being at an obtuse angle, ranging from 91 to 105,to the conical race surface of the 70 outer meinber and being also at an angle to the 7 surfaces of the larger ends of the rollers, and so positioned and disposed that the rounded shoulder edges pf the larger ends of the rollers'may roll that no other partof is rotated the inner race mem- 6 the rollers can contact therewithwhen the hearing is installed and in operation, provision where-' by the space betweenthe inner and outer members may be substantialiyfllled with tapered rollers while permitting the rollers to roll freely, and

means to retain the rollers on the outer member when the. inner member is not seated withinthe circle of rollers. c

. 3. A triple-race, free rolling tapered roller hearing, having a race on the outer member, a

" race on the inner member and a third race located on a shoulder which extends inwardly from the outer member of the bearing, the third race.

stalled and in operation, the space between the innerand outer races being adapted to receive tapered rollers, with rounded shoulders at their as larger ends, and means to retain the rollers on the outer member when the inner member is not seated within the circle of rollers. 4. A triple-race, filled-race, tree-rolling tapered roller bearing, having a race on the outer memher, a race on the inner member and a third race located on a shoulder which extends inwardly from the outer member of the bearing, the third race being at an obtuse angle ranging from 95 to 106 to the conical race surface of the outer as .member and also being at anangle to the end surfaces of the larger ends of the rollers and so positioned and disposed that the shoulder edges of the larger ends of the rollers may roll on the third race and that no other'part of the rollers 40 can contact therewith when the:bearing is installed and in operation, provision whereby the space between the races of the inner and outer members may be substantially filled with tapered rollers with rounded shoulders at their larger .ends, the rollers being providedwith retaining pins at each end, for assembly P p ses only, and "aretainingringateachendofthebearingto hold the rollers on the outer member when the inner member is not seated within the ,circle of I so rollers, flanges on the outer circumference of the retaining rings, grooves in the inner walls of the outer member between the races and the ends of such member arranged to receive the flanges or theretaining rings, the retaining ring being so is shaped as to extend over the ends of the-pins on theendsof thcrollersinamanner thatwillclear thepinswhenthebearingisinstalledandinuse but will serve to hold the rollers'on the outer member when the inner member is not in place.

Q 5. A free-rolling tapered roller bearing,-having a race on the outer member which engages the peripheral surfaces of the rollers that roll upon it, an inner racewhich engages the peripheral surfaces of the rollers that roll upon it, and an end race which'engages the rounded shoulder edges of the larger ends oi the rollers that roll upon it, which end race is disposed at an obtuse angle preferably between 97 and 102 to the outer race and also at an angle to the'ends of the rollers, means to adjust and maintainrolling contact of the shoulders of the rollers at a suitable pressure on the end race, for preloading ad- 10 Justments, and means to retain the rollers in assembly on the outer race member when the inner race member is removed, but which shall not touch the. rollers when the bearing is installed and in operation. I 5 6. A, triple-race, free-rolling tapered roller bearins. having a race on the outer ,member, a race on the inner member, the inner member being conical throughout, and a third race located on a shoulder which extends inwardly from the g outer member of the bearing, the third race being at an obtuse angle preferably between. 97 and .102 to the inner conical surface of the outer member and being also at an angle to the end surfaces of the larger ends of the rollers and so gs positioned and disposed that the rounded shoulder 'edges of the larger ends of the rollers may roll on the third race and that no other part of. the rollers can contact therewith when the bearing is-installed and in operation, the space beso tween the inner and outer races being adapted to receive tapered rollers, and means to retain the rollers on the outer member when the inner member is not seated within the, circle of rollers.

7. A triple-race, fllledrace, free-rolling ta- 35 pered roller bearing having a race on the outer member, a race on the inner member, the inner member being conical throughout, and a third race located on a shoulder which extends inwardly from the outer member, the third race being'at an obtuse angle preferably between 97 and 102 to the pitch of the conical race surfaceof the outer member and being also at an angle to the end surfaces of the larger ends of the rollers and .so positioned and disposed that the 5 rounded shoulder edges of the larger ends of the rollers may freely; roll on the third race and that preloading adjustments. v so HILLHOUBI BU IL. 

